


Error: Communication Not Found

by BigMammaLlama5



Series: Goalie Knuckles [2]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Soccer AU, idiots who dont know how to communicate like adults, no powers, t for mild swears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 23:28:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16942749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BigMammaLlama5/pseuds/BigMammaLlama5
Summary: Flirting with a girl and actually asking her out are two separate things that Kara decided she really needs to figure out. And maybe not while she's feeling a little rattled from a minor concussion.





	Error: Communication Not Found

**Author's Note:**

  * For [magicalgirlshauna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicalgirlshauna/gifts).



> Special thank you to magicalgirlshauna for being a good friend (enabler).

Kara moped a little harder from her sprawl on the warm grass next to her sister. It had been roughly nine days since her literal run-in with Sara Lance’s knuckles and Dr. Luthor had finally cleared her for light activity just that morning.

 

Doctor Luthor.

 

Somehow, Kara felt she had already fucked it up between them and she didn’t know how. After getting guided off the field she had been tested and diagnosed with a minor concussion and given Doctor’s Orders to rest. No running. No weight lifting. No yoga. Not even any push ups or crunches. Strict rest until most if not all of her symptoms had resolved. 

 

That order had also included any kind of dinner plans, much to Kara’s dismay.

 

She had spent most of her first few days at home on the couch, watching old game recordings for upcoming matches and stretching when she didn’t feel too dizzy. Doctor Luthor had come by once a day with Coach J’onzz, professional to a painful degree, despite Kara’s decidedly sneaky flirting when J’onn was on the phone or out of the room. With each failed attempt to try to get the woman to open up even just a little, Kara felt the weight of rejection sit a little bit heavier in her chest.

 

\--

 

_ Kara opened her front door up to the soft knock, feeling mostly better for the first time since the game. She opened the door to see Coach J’onzz with a rare smile on his face. _

 

_ “Hey coach, what’s up?” Kara moved to the side in a silent welcome. _

 

_ “How are you feeling today, Kara?” He asked, stepping into her apartment. _

 

_ On his heels was Dr. Luthor, dressed to the nines and looking every inch the professional from her heeled boots and tailored slacks to her trendy top and high sleek ponytail. She nodded in greeting to Kara, her green eyes sharp and calculating behind her large rimmed glasses. Kara felt that familiar spark jolt in her chest. _

 

_ “I’m okay, pretty good actually. Hey Doc!” _

 

_ “Miss Danvers.” _

 

_ The spark sank as the Doctor brushed past her and set her bag on the kitchen table. Kara didn’t even bother trying to interject any of her light-hearted flirtier banter into her checkup. It was becoming more apparent that maybe the fleeting moment they had on the field was just her humoring Kara. She had gotten over most of her burning embarrassment but if arm’s length was where Dr. Luthor wanted her, then that’s where she would stay. _

 

_ “You seem to be doing well. I think you can start light training tomorrow. Nothing too strenuous until you stop having headaches. Hold off on driving for a few more days.” _

 

_ “What about my bruises?” Kara asked, tugging off her glasses and unconsciously squinting. _

 

_ The Doctor studied the dark purple and black hematomas under her eyes, her face coming into sharp focus as she leaned in. “Your x-ray didn’t show any hairline fractures. It’s mostly surface bruising and should heal soon enough.” _

 

_ She leaned back out of Kara’s space, her expensive perfume lingering and making that weird feeling in her chest twinge again. Kara held back a huff at herself. Crushes were so annoying. _

 

_ “Great. Kara, practice starts at nine tomorrow morning. I’ll speak with the other trainers and Dr. Luthor and figure out a new regime for you.” _

 

_ “Cool! I’m glad to start again. Was gettin’ a little stir-crazy.” Kara laughed as she walked them back to the door. _

 

_ “Do try to continue resting while you can. Don’t go rushing full tilt until I say so.” Dr. Luthor pinned her with a steely look, her brow raising minutely in a silent challenge of authority. _

 

_ Kara couldn’t have held back her grin if she had tried. _

 

_ “Yes ma’am.” _

 

\--

 

Now that Kara was mostly back to herself, she was able to think clearly. And overthink why Dr. Luthor had been so open to her on the field only to slam that door in her face.

 

“Hey Alex?”

 

Her sister grunted next to her as she leaned into her deep hamstring stretch. Kara waggled her foot nervously for a moment, the pleather of her cleat creaking.

 

“How do you know when you like somebody? Like.  _ Like _ somebody.”

 

Alex unfolded herself with a slight frown, caught off guard by Kara’s soft question. “Hey. Are you ok?”

 

Kara huffed and stared up at the fluffy clouds scudding across the bright blue sky. “I mean. I think so? Just confused is all. Forget I said anything.”

 

“Mmmmm no I don’t think so. What’s up.” Alex scooted closer and poked Kara in the side.

 

“No, no, I-  _ Stoppit. _ ” She squirmed away. “It’s not really important.”

 

“Stop lying. What is it?” Alex stopped poking her and hunched forward, her elbows on her knees and the big sisterly look of worry written on her face.

 

Kara opened and closed her mouth a few times, feeling her skin flush with embarrassment. “I… asked Doctor Luthor out when I got hit in the face-and she said yes-and now she’s giving me the professional no-nonsense treatment.”

 

Alex bit back a snort of laughter. “Only you would ask a pretty girl out after getting punched in the face.”

 

“Alex…” Kara whined.

 

“Okay but… have you actually asked her to confirm?”

 

“I… no…”

 

“So. Uh. What  _ have _ you been doing then.”

 

“I dunno… just. Trying to show her I was still interested?”

 

Alex sighed heavily and shook her head. “Maybe stop taking the subtle approach. You were never really good at being sneaky.”

 

“Hey! I can be sneaky!” Kara sat up in indignation.

 

Alex’s face was a perfect deadpan. “Ask her out for real, Danvers.”

 

“Easy for you to say.” Kara grumbled and heaved herself to her feet, the muscles in her legs sore from her workout.

 

“I mean it, Kara. The worst that could happen is she says no.”

 

“And then it’ll be awkward for, like, forever.” She used her shirt to wipe the sweat from her face.

 

“Okay, well. If you change your mind, there she goes.” Alex waved nonchalantly in the direction of the parking lot next to the practice field.

 

Kara whipped around so fast her neck popped. She winced and squinted across the field, a spike of panic jolting through her body when she saw the familiar frame of Dr. Luthor leaving the small municipal building. She rushed out a jumble of  _ byeseeyoulater _ to Alex and took off into a sprint. It was silly, really, running after the woman like a teenager when she knew logically that she would see her the next day. But Kara was afraid she was going to miss her window if she didn’t. Kara made it across the pitch in no time, and then slowed her speed just a touch as she leapt onto the concrete sidewalk. The sudden clatter of her cleats on the pavement caught the retreating Doctor’s attention as she loaded her bag into the back of her car.

 

“Hey! Wait up!” Kara called and clomped across the parking lot.

 

For a split second Kara thought the woman was going to leave anyways when she closed her trunk and walked over to the driver side door. But she instead crossed her arms and leaned back on the sporty car and waited for Kara to approach.

 

“Hey.” she panted as she slowed to a stop.

 

“Miss Danvers. What can I do for you? Everything alright?”

 

Kara tried to get a read on her, but Dr. Luthor was a mask of professional indifference behind her dark sunglasses. She was only mildly distracted by the car she was leaning on.

 

“Is that a  _ Tesla? _ I-wait-no-that’s not what I was gonna say.” Kara sputtered, heat rising to her face.

 

“What I wanted to say- _ meant _ to ask, is if… if we’re okay?” She trailed off in a question.

 

“...oh. Well, I wasn’t aware there was a  _ we _ .” Dr. Luthor answered carefully, her brow furrowing.

 

Kara felt her shoulders sag as disappointment settled heavily in the pit of her stomach, her face burning bright. “So you were just playing along with me. I get it, I-uh-I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable or anything when I asked you out. I’m sorry if I did. Uh. Yeah. Okay. I’m gonna stop talking and go run some more. Have a good day, Doc.”

 

Kara backed away as she rushed her apology out, feeling more embarrassed when the Doctor’s expression turned from shock to panic to something that looked a little like shame. The last thing she wanted was for the poor woman to feel bad about her own stupid feelings. Kara turned on her heel and made it a couple steps before the sudden explosion from behind her made her stumble in her tracks.

 

“I didn’t think you were serious!”

 

Kara spun around again, but this time a little less violently to save her neck from popping. Dr. Luthor had stepped away from her car as if she was about to run after her, the mask of professionalism shattered on the ground at her feet and her throat bobbing as she swallowed nervously.

 

“I-uh-what?” was all Kara managed to get out, her feet rooted to the ground.

 

Dr. Luthor carefully removed her sunglasses and pinched at the bridge of her nose for a long moment. Kara could tell she was steeling herself to speak and shifted nervously, her fingers twisting into the hem of her t-shirt.

 

“You… really should refrain from asking someone out right after your brain’s been rattled like a maraca.” Dr. Luthor quipped, tossing her sunglasses onto the roof of her car and propping her hands on her hips.

 

“You thought I was joking.”

 

“I thought it was your concussion talking.” She clarified.

 

Suddenly it all made sense. Kara couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up and snorted past her lips. She took a few tentative steps back towards the nervous looking Doctor and let her hands flop to her sides, swallowing down her own nerves with Alex’s words echoing in her head.

 

_ Ask her out for real, Danvers. _

 

“Doctor Luthor, now that I’m mostly in my right mind, may I please take you to dinner? Better yet, do you like ice cream? We could go do that right now. There’s a great place just around the corner. We could walk if you want? Make it a fun date and save the serious dinner for later?”

 

Dr. Luthor shoved her hands into the pockets of her slacks, her posture relaxing and her expression opening up. “You’re  _ not _ joking.”

 

“Nope.” Kara put the accent of her answer on the “p” with a quiet pop.

 

The Doctor ducked her head and bit her lip. “Forgive me. It’s kind of hard to believe soccer star Kara Danvers would ask me out.”

 

“I mean, I’d kiss you now if that would help but I’d rather get to know you first.”

 

It wasn’t until Dr. Luthor’s face grew bright red that Kara realized what she said-and comically clapped her hand over her mouth as if it would take the words back. She could feel her own face heat up again and Kara would have loved to run away and back onto the pitch to escape how her mouth had disconnected from her brain. She stayed quiet though as the Doctor closed the distance between them a little more, uncharacteristically flustered into speechlessness.

 

“ _ Fuck _ … Sorry…” Kara mumbled past her hand, resisting the urge to pull her shirt up over her head to hide.

 

The Doctor peeked up at Kara through her lashes, cheeks still pink and eyes glittering with mirth. She hesitantly reached up and pulled Kara’s hand away from her face, but didn’t let go of her fingers. They looked down between them at their loosely joined hands until their eyes met again. Kara kept her mouth closed, determined to let the other woman have a chance to make her own decision.

 

“You said ice cream?”

 

A sunny explosion of a smile burst through the whole of Kara’s body, slowly mirrored by the Doctor in a lazy grin. She swung their hands gently in between them as her heart leapt high into her chest, threatening to burst free.

 

“The best ice cream in town, Dr. Luthor.”

 

“Lena.” she supplied quietly, her cheeks pinking again.

 

Kara smiled brighter.

 

“The best ice cream in town, Lena.”


End file.
